Automatic ballast spreader



Sept. 22, 1925.

W. F. BELL AUTOMATIC BALLAST SPREADER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Filed Dec. 29. 1924 Sept. 22, 1925. Q

w. F. BELL AUTOMATIC BALLAST SPREADER Filed Dec 29. 1924 2 Shets-Shet 2 m 9. iii

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM F. BELL, or CANTON, nonrn CAROLINA.

AUTOMATIC BALLAST SPREADER.

Application filed December 29, 1924. Serial No. 758,677.

I '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. BELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Canton, in the county of Haywood and State 5 of North Carolina, have invented a new and useful Automatic Ballast Spreader, of which the following is a specification.

This invention aims to provide a simple and eificient means whereby ballast may be spread along a railroad track.

' It is within the province of-the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the invention appertains; I

Although a preferred form has been shown in the drawings, it will be understood that a mechanic, working within the scope of what is claimed, may make changes,

such as his skill may dictate, without de- 0 parting from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings :Figure 1 shows in plan, a device constructed in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a side elevation; Figure 3 is 'a section on the line-33 of Figure :5 1; Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of .Figure 3; Figure 5 is a section taken alongthe line 5 5 of Figure 3; Figur 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Figure 3, distant parts bein omitted.

The devlce forming the subject matter of this application may be used in connection with a car of any kind. By way of illustration, however, there is shown a car including a body 1 of box-like form, supported {5 by a frame 2 including a central longitudithe rotatable I engaging the chains 20. and carried by shafts 24 journaled in the sides of the car body. On the outer ends of the shafts 8 there are pinions 25 which mesh with gear wheels 26 on the shaft 17.

Hoppers 27 are supported inthe car body 1 and have reduced lower ends 28 beneath which operate shakers 29 having intermediate transverse ribs 30, the shakers being supplied with depending brackets 31 whereon are journaled wheels 32 adaptedto move back and forth on tracks 33 carried. by the sides of the car'body. Rods 34 are secured to each shaker 29 and the ends 35 of the rods form projections which reciprocate in horizontally elongated slots 36 in the sides of the car body. 1. The ends 35 of the rods 34 on each shaker 29 are connected by a tie 37, the ends 35 of one rod 34 oneach shaker. 29 being connected with the ends of a corresponding rod on an adjoining'shaker by links 38. Pitmans 39 are pivoted to the ends 35 of the rods 34 at the extremities of the car, and are pivoted eccentrically, as at 40, to crank disks 41 on the end of the shafts 17 and 18.

nal beam 3 carrying truck frames4 wherein In practical operation, when the clutches are journaled axles 5 carrying wheels 6 adapted to traverse the rails 7 of the track which is to be ballasted.

L0 The outer ends of alined shafts 8 are journaled in the sides of the body 1, the inner ends of the shafts being journaled in the frame-beam 3. Sprocket wheels 9 are rotatable on the shafts 8 but are adapted L5 to be coupled thereto by clutches 10, slidable on the shafts and under the governance of any suitable means, such as upwardly extended levers 11 fulcrumed intermediate their ends at 12 on one end of the car body 30 1. In order that the levers 11 may be operated freely when the car is full of ballast, a, division plate 14 extends across the car at a point closely adi'acent to that nd of the car whereon the evers 11 are fulcrumed.

55 Sprocket chains 15 are engaged with the sprocket wheels 9 and likewise with sprocket 10 are thrown in by means of the levers 11, one of the axles 5, being driven by the corresponding wheels 6, operates the sprocket chains 15' by way of the sprocket wheels 16, rotation being imparted to the shafts 8 by the sprocket wheels 9, the pinions 25 and the gear wheels 26 rotating the shaft 17, the sprocket wheels 19, and the chains 20 movingthe upper run of the conveyor 21 in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fi re 3, to cause the ballast to pass out throug an opening 42 in one end of the car body 1. The ballast in the car body 1 and in the hoppers 27 is received on the shakers 29, on opposite sides of. the ribs 30, reciprocation being imparted to the first shaker by means of the pitmans 39 at the left hand end of the car in Figure 2, the corresponding crank disks 41 being rotated by the shaft 17 Reciprocation is imparted to the other shakers bywvay of'the links 38. The reciprocating shakers 29 distribute the ballast on the upper run ofthe conveyor 21, and the conveyor, as hereinbefore explained, passes the ballast out up-the right-of-way, through the' opening 42.

.What is claimed is 1. In'a ballast spreader, a car having a track Wheel, a conveyor-movably mounted in the car, a hopper in the car, a shaker 'mounted for reciprocation on thecar and in terposed between the hopper and the conveyor, and means for operating the conveyor and the shaker from the track wheel.

2 In a ballast spreader, a carnhaving a track wheel, ashaft journaled on the car,

'a conveyor engaged about the shaft, a crank on the shaft, a hopper in the car, a shaker mounted for reciprocation on the car and memes interposed between'the hopper and the conveyor, a pitman connecting the crank with the'shaker, and means for driving the shaft from the track wheel.

3. A device of the class described, constructed' as set forth in claim 2, and further characterized by the fact'that the last-specified means embodies a second shaft journaled on the car, intermeshing gear members on .the shafts, asprocket rotatable with the WILLIAM F. BELL. 

